Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to weigh the anchor

to weigh the anchor

1 6.7
Raise the anchor from the water so the ship can sail
  • phrasal verb
  • Specialized
translation icon : levantar el ancla
  • Weigh the anchor!

Examples

Synonyms

to weigh anchor
vsto weigh the anchor
  • Specialized
3 7.7

Raise a ship's anchor to get ready to leave

focuses on physically lifting it from the sea or riverbed before sailing

Antonyms

to drop anchor
5 3.3

To lower an anchor to hold a boat in one place

Surface Forms

weigh the anchor infinitive
weighing the anchor present participle
weighs the anchor third person singular
weighed the anchor past
weighed the anchor past participle

Morphology

weigh + the + anchor

Although 'anchor' is literal, the verb 'weigh' ordinarily means to measure weight, while in nautical usage (weigh anchor / weigh the anchor) it means to lift or hoist the anchor. This specialized, historical maritime sense is a metaphorical/extended use of 'weigh' that is not reliably predictable for a B1 learner who only knows the common meaning, so the expression is only partially transparent and requires exposure.

Etymology

Weigh the anchor comes from old sailing days. Sailors used weigh to mean 'lift', because they had to lift the heavy anchor out of the water before the ship could move, so the phrase means 'to raise the anchor' and get ready to sail.